Bechdel or Not Bechdel…

The Bechdel Test. It’s an infamous test about gender representation in film that a disturbingly high proportion of movies fail. First put forth by cartoonist Alison Bechdel circa 1985, it poses a simple three-part question:

Does the movie have two or more female characters with names…

…that talk to each other…

…about something other than a man?

The DickFlicks concept is similar but far more lenient. We’re only looking for one female star — one out of a possible four, mind you — so there may not even be a second woman to chat up. Of course, we do require a leading role, whereas Trixie and Lolita talkin’ smack on the street corner passes the Bechdel Test. Six of one, half a dozen of the other.

It’s worth mentioning that the dick flick notion was conceived during a late-night gym session, well after the birth of the Bechdel Test but years before we heard about it. We were both excited and, honestly, quite sad to discover that we weren’t just making up this phenomenon.

Scope around for more on the Bechdel Test. There’s a healthy crop of fascinating sites and articles on the web.